1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a water temperature sensor and control circuit for use in an automatic washer.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known in the art to provide a fluid temperature monitoring and indicating system for use with a manually operated faucet. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,406,398 discloses a control circuit connected to a thermistor mounted in the water outlet of the faucet that includes two comparators which energize lights to indicate which of the hot or cold water valve is to be operated to achieve a desired temperature range. No time delay or automatic temperature adjusting means are provided.
It is also generally known to mount a temperature sensor within a body of synthetic resin. U.S. Pat. No. 4,179,680 discloses a freezer having a relatively large two-part resin body having a temperature sensor mounted therein to provide a time delay of approximately 10 minutes so that defrosting operations are not detected as malfunctions.
A microprocessor controlled water temperature control system for an automatic washer is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,406,401 wherein temperature sensors in each of the hot and cold inlet lines are monitored and a program control sets percentages of open time for the valves.
While the foregoing references and citations do not exhaust the known microprocessor based temperature controls in washers, they do represent what is believed to be a representative cross-section of the prior patented art.